Herbal vinegars are fun to make, nutritious and make wonderful gifts from our gardens. Vinegars can be made from fresh or dried plants such as flowers, leaves, stems, fruits. Some can be more packed with different herbs creating a vitamin/mineral tonic. Culinary herbs usually take center stage as the plants of choice in our kitchen.
However, I like to place herbs, wild edibles with good nutrient content in organic apple cider vinegar and have it for everyday use as a tonic. Tonic preparations are usually milder than tinctures and therefore can be safe to take everyday and safe for children.
I have included a recipe for Elder Berry Vinegar. This recipe is easy to make and packed with the nutrients naturally found in the berry of the elder. I usually prefer organic apple cider vinegar however we have delicious wine vinegars, including balsamic to choose from. Pick your favorite vinegar, gather elder berries, place in a clean quart jar:
Pick 2 lb of elderberries and dry them
Place in a quart jar and pour vinegar over berries.
Let sit, shake every few days. Strain after 2 weeks.
This condiment can be added to salad dressings, to flavor sauces, as a marinade etc. The holidays are with us. While elderberry juice, syrup, lozenges can be a great preventive for cold and flu using herbs in the form of jams, syrups, vinegars can provide our immune systems with quality nutrients that promote foundational health and vitality. For example, elderberries are high in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, folate, Calcium, Potassium. Add some elderberry product to your holiday shopping list. Your body will thank you.
Sending a heartfelt thanks to all of you this holiday season. Judith
Judith Dreyer, MS, BSN, Writer, Speaker, and Workshop Presenter, Master Gardener.
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